The Freak
by 7Knight-Wolf
Summary: In the next installment of the Disney Oneshot Challenge #9 , one of my favorite scenes from the movie is analyzed in detail. Tarzan's thoughts as he realizes that there are other creatures who look like him...


**A/N: Tarzan was one of my favorite movies growing up. I didn't used to know why, but now I do. I love this Disney film because, in addition to the cool animals, it is a story about a man who doesn't seem to fit into his world. In the end he figures out how to live in two worlds, but oh, sometimes he feels like a total freak! **

**The Freak **

Between the masses of hairy gorilla bodies, their long fur varying shades of deep chestnut to jet black, and between the fronds of fern, bamboo, and lush jungle foliage, the orange light of the setting sun painted strokes of fire on the rocky hillside. Upon the hillside, standing on a rock so that he was above all the other gorillas, sat Kerchak.

He sat, larger than all others, black as the night but for the silvery splotch if moonlight that seemed to be permanently fixed on his mighty arched back. His fur was long and coarse, and his face was both stern and noble as he addressed his family group.

Tarzan stood among the gorillas next to his mother Kala, looking small and naked among the bigger, hairier creatures. He had listened to everything Kerchak said, but he felt he could not what was coming. After the encounter with Jane and the humans that afternoon, Tarzan was sure there would be repercussions: Kerchak would forbid him from seeing the humans. In that case, Tarzan would have no choice, he felt, but to rebel. He was already brimming with rage.

"Everyone," Kerchak announced in his deep, rough voice, "we will avoid the strangers. Do not let them see you and do not seek them out."

"They mean us no harm, Kerchak," Tarzan dared to object.

Kerchak spoke with measured patience. "Tarzan, I don't know that."

"But I do! I've been spent time with them!" Tarzan argued hotly.

"You may be willing to risk our safety, but I'm not."

This time the attack was condescending, and Tarzan could not bear to be level anymore. He leapt right up to Kerchak, bold and furious, puffing out his chest to display his stand.

"_Why are you threatened by anyone different from you_?"

Kerhcak bared his teeth and growled low at the rebellious display. Even now he endeavored to be patient; Tarzan had, after all, saved him from Sabor. Yet Kerchcak was certainly not going to give way.

And so it was with suppressed fury, and an air of grim finality, that Kerchak said, "Protect this family and stay away from them."

The ape's face was knotted with austerity and anger. The orange light made his mighty face all the more terrible and impossible to resist. Tarzan could not maintain his stand under those burning, fire-lit eyes. Kerchak's decision was irrefutable.

Tarzan turned away, back towards his mother. The sweat stood out on his rough, dirty brow and he was shaking with rage. It was clear to all knew him that he was going to simply and deliberately disobey Kerchak.

Kala stopped her adopted son. "Tarzan, for once, listen to Kerchak," she whispered sternly.

Tarzan snapped back savagely, "Why didn't you tell me there were creatures that looked like me?"

Without pausing to observe the shocked expression on Kala's old face, Tarzan dashed away and up into the trees. Kala could see him away up on a thick, moss-covered branch, hunched over like one greatly upset.

What Kala did not see were Tarzan's hot, angry tears. He felt agonized. He was furious with Kerchak's close-mindedness, and hurt by Kala's failure to be honest about the humans. But it was more than just that. Tarzan longed to be an upstanding family member. But at the same time, he had never quite fit into this community of good little like-minded apes. He loved them dearly, but they could never understand his feelings of loneliness.

Now suddenly, Tarzan had his taste of the outside world. He found humans, and he was greatly attracted to them. What were they, he wondered, to be so thin and hairless? Were they other mutants, like Tarzan? Or was it possible that Tarzan was not a mutant after all and these people who looked like him were their own race? Even if Tarzan was of their kind, how would he know if he fit in with them?

The agony of it was that Tarzan didn't seem to fit into either family. One the one hand he was too apelike to be a civilized Englishman. On the other hand, he was too bold and different to be a real gorilla. Tarzan felt like a freak.

The ape-man looked at the color-strewn sky and wondered if he would ever belong. He saw the colors: red, orange, pink, purple, all having been cast by the dying sun. Tarzan saw each color for what it was, not for what it should be, and deep down, he hoped that there were people out there who could view him the same way.

The End


End file.
